South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-05-13
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DoRLiNOToN, MAY e
Editor Inteliiycncer OF the many live
issues now before the country Womsu Suf-
frage is, to my mind, thu most Interesting.
Woman suffrage has, in many ages, been
considered as a possible millennium by thou
sspds OF delu6ed mortals. Women have ex
ercised the power of their charming iufiuep-
ces in lite behslf--meu nave argued long In
its favor-and the world has stood waiting
to see the results. Woman suffrage has been
tried, the results are known, md the grand
hoax he's proved failure The commentary
of recent events shows what we may expect
from IL.
"A bill to make woman man" is what
the Womsa spTrage bill was called on the
floor Of the N. Y. Senate nj Albsny. The
history or the defeat of the bill at Albany
shows how such bill IL manipulated On
the Gay when the hill came before the N Y.
Senate, the corridors aud galleries swarmed
with agreeable women the ioooies were fill.
ed with charming, free.thinking ladies who,
with pencil in hand, attacked each senator
for his vote aud it was but human nature
to rass the bill. Ia such case. man would
hardly be expected to vote against the bill
such is the way in which the bill became q
law in Kansas Had no; the lower Eouse of
the Legislature of New York calamity resis
ted. it would have also passed there.
The influence Of women should have no eff
power IN influencing votes and Il is an open
quesiion-For what will a man risk most,
Love or Money. Seeing. then that money
and the influence Of women are about equal,
could one consider a bill so passed as legally
binding? Gould one not impute fraud so,
then, the measure is uDsound from lis very
foundations.
No less convincing have been the results
OF the measure when tried. II has had fair
showing in Kansas ItmIy be premature Co
judge Of the success of the bill. bu, the last
election may be taken as a fair sample sin ce
unusual precautions were taken 20 prevent
disturbances The dogma of the restraining
influence Of woman's presence has been rnde-
ly dashed to the ground. Aichisou, Kansas,
city Of $4,000 inhabitants. WAS PRACTICAL
under police surveilancs the whole day of
the election. In spite Of this. however, nu-
me Gus free fights were engaged in. and the
intervention o: the olice avsiled but little
The presence Of women at the polls can have
no effect upon the excited passions Of the
lower clssses OF men
In the next place ii v i'll be noticed that
the women were made the victims Cf unscru-
pulous electioneering. Mr. D. r. Anthony
was a candidate for governor of Kansas in
the last election. Taking woman into his
confidence, regnla- h ,use.to hcuse ,nvass
was organized. By enteitIcs, threats, back
bitipgs, &c many women were drawn into
the vortex Of political agitation and made
most lamentable shipwreck. Women az elec-
tioueers are evidently very phinslakipg-but
in their appeals 10 some OF the rougher eli ASS
they received insults FOR their psins-"Ladies
would appeal TO their servants OF TO people
who bac been dependent upon them" for
their votes. Thus 1t can readily be seeu
what an improper scene would be presented,
what q distressing state of affairs.
Woman suffrage leads 10 household quar-.
rels and divisions also to deceit In cas-
husband and wife came to the polls together,
arguing aud disputng over the Eay in which
they should vote 10 one case a woman
who bad been 10 the poils with her husband.
and had decided not % vO.e since her vote
would jus, balan his, returned and voted
while he Trusting his wife went about his
bushes and voted not. "FrsiltyJ thy name
| IS WOMAN"
One most distressing fac, is The frequency
OF siufs upon female reputation. The cor.
test in Kansas WAS one Of woman against
woman, snd in TIE beat ~ political excite
/ ment no means whic n would produce the
| desired result we're neglected. Attack we're
made upon female feI utation which, II true,
/ would speedily sink the woman our Of sight
/ In al respectable society. Reputati Gus we're
recklessiy blasted
| The experiment Of 'nsas has been a sad
one AID II is to ho hol ed that some heed will
Ne hEen OF 10 surely no arRumeot for NO.
man suffrage Gun avail anything. when dis
rUpied homes AMI blasted regulations follow
/ upon its Introduction. All that 10 dear TO
/ true and loving wonan--ihe love Of Der hus-
6ss d, her sacred honor, rnd her good repu
tation, is swept away IN the fierce strife OF
cobteuding political fac ions
Many more points than I have brought
| forward might be sddDced from the Kansas
/ elections hut sufficient proofs think, civ.
en- that Woman suffrage would prove, II gen .
orally adopted, one OF the greatest evils Of
| the age. The better class OF women are geo.
orally opposed ~ a. ! can best close with
quotation from the New York World
I The intro ductiOn Of wheeling, coaxiag
and other fsmsle Establishments as election .
eering influences is bad enough, but when 10
these are added as ~ AichsOn, scandal
mongering gossip, bsekbiiug end caste
feeling, society 81 large, and the women In
| particular, may we'll ask 10 be saved from
the innovation" Daughters OF America, II
Is your lot to see that the sacred influence
/ Of youe charms be not wrecked
r. y WooDwOaTH